©2007 RUSH University Medical Center Writing Effective Learning Objectives Chris Zakrzewski, MS Ningchun Han, EdD

©2007 RUSH University Medical Center Outline Definition Benefits/Purpose Development Flowchart S.M.A.R.T. Objectives Components of an Objective Bloom’s Taxonomy Examples Matching Assessments

©2007 RUSH University Medical Center Definition A learning objective is a statement of what students will be able to do when they have completed instruction. They describe the intended result of instruction, not what will be taught. Example: The Student will cover…

©2007 RUSH University Medical Center Benefits/Purpose Provides a concise and established way for instructors to communicate critical instructional goals to anyone interested in the instructional outcomes. Guiding the design of instruction. Learning objectives bind the scope of instruction, guiding the selection of content, activities, and assessments.

©2007 RUSH University Medical Center Benefits/Purpose Telling learners what is expected. Learning objectives clearly communicate the intent of instruction. Revealing needed and meaningful assessments. Because learning objectives describe the critical result of instruction, they indicate which assessments are most needed to determine if these results have occurred.

©2007 RUSH University Medical Center Benefits/Purpose Drive curriculum planning (such as the development or revision or courses.) Provide evidence of student learning to be utilized for accreditation.

©2007 RUSH University Medical Center Course Development

©2007 RUSH University Medical Center S.M.A.R.T. Objectives –S pecific –M easurable –A chievable –R elevant –T ime framed

©2007 RUSH University Medical Center How to Write an Learning Objective? Focus on student performance, not teacher performance. Focus on product, not process. Focus on terminal behavior, not subject matter. Include only one general learning outcome in each objective. –Eliminates the need for distinguishing between partial completion or success.

©2007 RUSH University Medical Center Components of an Objective Stem Verb Product, process, or outcome (course-specific content target) Upon completion of this course, you will be able to define the technical terms of the basic science or clinical domain by giving their attributes, properties, or relations.

©2007 RUSH University Medical Center Alternative Stems After completing the lesson, the student will be able to... After this unit, the student will have... By completing the activities, the student will... At the conclusion of the course/unit/study the student will... The student will be able to…

©2007 RUSH University Medical Center Verbs Taxonomy of Learning Objectives –1956, Benjamin Bloom –Classification of levels of intellectual behavior important in learning. Cognitive Domain –Knowledge (Information-oriented) –Comprehension Application Analysis Synthesis Evaluation (Process-oriented) –Hierarchal levels

Cognitive Domain Knowledge – to recall and memorize Comprehension – to translate from one form to another Application – to apply or use information in a new situation Analysis - to examine a concept and break it down into its parts Synthesis - to put information together in a unique or novel way to solve a problem Evaluation - to make quantitative or qualitative judgments using standards of appraisal ©2007 RUSH University Medical Center

Knowledge To recall and memorize. Verbs: define, demonstrate, enumerate, identify, label, list, match, name, read, recall, reproduce, restate, select, state, view… Ex 1. …define the technical terms of the basic science or clinical domain by giving their attributes, properties, or relations. Ex 2. …demonstrate knowledge of specific facts relate to biomedical basic sciences or clinical procedures.

©2007 RUSH University Medical Center Comprehension To translate from one form to another. Verbs: classify, cite, convert, describe, discuss, estimate, explain, generalize, give examples, interpret, paraphrase, summarize, translate… Ex.1. …translate a health care problem given in technical or abstract phraseology into concrete or less abstract, more common phraseology. Ex.2. …distinguish health consequences that are only relatively probable from those for which there is a high degree of probability.

©2007 RUSH University Medical Center Application To apply or use information in a new situation. Verbs: administer, apply, articulate, chart, choose, collect, compute, construct, contribute, control, determine, develop, discover, establish, extend… Ex.1. …apply biomedical science generalizations and conclusions to actual biomedical problems. Ex.2. …solve biomedical problems by applying biomedical facts, concepts, and/or principles.

©2007 RUSH University Medical Center Analysis To examine a concept and break it down into its parts. Verbs: assess, break down, correlate, deduce, diagram, differentiate, discriminate, distinguish, focus, illustrate, induce, infer, limit, outline, point out… Ex.1. …distinguish facts from hypotheses. Ex.2. …propose ways of testing an hypothesis.

©2007 RUSH University Medical Center Synthesis To put information together in a unique or novel way to solve a problem. Verbs: adapt, anticipate, categorize, collaborate, combine, communicate, compare, compile, compose, contract, contrast, create, design, devise, express… Ex.1. …form a theory of causation based on evidence. Ex.2. …propose ways of testing an hypothesis.

©2007 RUSH University Medical Center Evaluation To make quantitative or qualitative judgments using standards of appraisal. Verbs: appraise, conclude, confront, criticize, critique, decide, defend, interpret, judge, justify, recommend, re-frame… Ex.1. …judge by internal standards the ability to assess general probability of accuracy in reporting facts from the care given to exactness of statements. Ex.2. …compare work with the highest known standards in the field.

©2007 RUSH University Medical Center Verbs to Avoid Know Comprehend Understand Appreciate Familiarize Study Be aware Become acquainted with Gain knowledge of Cover Learn Realize Avoid using verbs that are difficult to measure objectively.

Types of Assessment Pre-testing Objective assessments: –Multiple choice –True or false –Matching –Short answer Subjective assessment – Essay Interactive assessment –Simulation –Gaming

Types of Assessment Group projects Participation and peer evaluation Students as audience and peer review Others –Reflective journals –One-minute papers –Contributions to digital archives –ePortfolio

Questions?